This week concludes the story of Joseph and his brothers as well as the book of Genesis. In Genesis, we are reminded that God has preserved humankind and raised up a family who will serve as the conduit of God's blessing to the world. We will see in future books of the Torah, and in the Prophets as well, that part of the responsibility of being the "Chosen People" is passing down the great truths and testimonies about the wonders of God from one generation to another. We sometimes use the phrase "dor l'dor" for this, which means “from generation to generation”.
In our Torah portion this week, Jacob blesses his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh. We read in Genesis 48:15–16, “He blessed Joseph and said, ‘the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and may my name live on in them, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth’”. The last part of this blessing says: “and may my name live on in them, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac”.
What does it mean for the name of a parent, grandparent, or other ancestors to live on through descendants? It means that their values, way of life, culture, and traditions are carried forward from one generation to the next. In the Jewish community, the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh is said over children at the Shabbat table each week. There is a covenantal legacy that is handed down from generation to generation.
That said, we all have a legacy to hand down no matter who we are! Our name continues through those whom we affect during our lives. It could be our children and grandchildren, or it could be others who receive a blessing through our words and deeds. When someone passes away, we like to say, “may their name be remembered for a blessing”.
Now is the time to invest in that legacy. Regardless of your age or place in life, invest your life in younger generations of people. May you be a conduit of blessing of life in Messiah to future generations. Your name will live on via the positive and godly imprint you leave on others.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Howard
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